April 8, 2000
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Purdue Boilermakers found themselves locked in a pitchers' dual, but couldn't produce enough runs to get the win as they fell to the Iowa Hawkeyes, 2-0. This is only the second game in which the Boilers were shotout, the other coming against then No. 6 Alabama in a 5-0 loss.
"We didn't take advantage of our opportunities early in the game," Purdue head coach Doug Schreiber said. "In the first and second inning we had a runner on third with less than two outs, and hit a ball right back to the pitcher. If we get those runs in, we start out 2-0. We have to have guys that want to make a play when the game is on the line, and our guys need to realize that the game isn't always on the line in the final two innings, sometimes it is on the line in the first two innings."
David Gassner (4-2, 4.03) faced off against the Hawkeyes' Ryan Prahm. The pitchers' dual ensued, as both pitchers went three innings without giving up a run. Gassner turned out to be the first and only pitcher to surrender a run, as the Boilermaker-southpaw allowed a run to cross in the fourth inning, and another in the sixth. With one out in the sixth inning, Alex Dvorsky reached on a fielder's choice. Ian Mattiace followed with a single to move Dvorsky to third. The runner would later score in a double by Hawkeye center fielder Brian Bucklin to put the Hawks ahead 2-0.
"Gassner pitched well," Schreiber said. "He pitched well enough to win, but we couldn't get any run support for him. Right now we are surviving on our pitching because our defense didn't play well today and our offense is sporadic. We really need to put a string of games together where our offense is coming out and putting pressure on the defense."
The Boilers were plagued by wasted opportunities over the seven inning game. Purdue left runners at third in both the first and second innings as well as a runner on second in the fourth. The Old Gold and Black struggled against Prahm, as the Hawkeye hurler went 6.2, giving up seven hits and no runs. The Boilers' best chance to tie the game came in the seventh and final inning, as pinch hitter Daryl Hallada and Mike Duursma reached on a single and a walk, respectively. With two outs in the inning, lead off hitter Chris Walker stepped to the plate and hit a rocket to right-center field. Hawkeye-center fielder Brian Bucklin broke for the fence and just made the catch on the warning track. A basehit would have tied the game at two, however the Boilers produced too little too late and fall to 6-4 in conference play.
David Gassner went the distance for Purdue, pitching six innings and giving up six hits and only one earned run. The Boilers' top hitter was Nate Sickler, who went 2-for-3 on the day with two singles. Mike Duursma went 1-for-1 with a walk and a hit by pitch to extend his hitting streak to five games.
The Boilers will now play another double header on Sunday, April 8, to complete the four game set with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Jeremy Ballard (3-1, 3.86) will start Game Three for Purdue.